By Judith J. Wurtman, PhD, research scientist,department
of brain and cognitive science, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Cambridge. She is author of Managing Your
Mind & Mood Through Food (Scribner) and The Serotonin
Solution, a weight-loss book for people who overeat because
​of stress (Ballantine).

Folk wisdom has long held that our moods are influenced by the food we eat. That belief is gaining support from scientific research.
Food-mood strategies can't cure clinical depression or other serious psychological disorders. Such problems call for professional help. But they can be used to boost alertness at work...increase your sense of relaxation at home...and make it easier for you to tolerate life's ups and downs.
Mood-altering foods aren't unusual or hard to find. You don't have to follow a long, complex regimen before seeing results. They are ordinary, everyday foods...and in some cases, their effects are felt within as little as 30 minutes.

HOW FOOD ACTS ON OUR MOODS Research suggest that food affects mood by altering the brain's production of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters...

The nuerotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine have an energizing effect. When your brain is producing these chemicals, you're alert, highly motivated and have fast reaction times. The main building block of these "alertness chemicals" is the amino acid tyrosine. Eating protein_which contains lots of tyrosine_raises tyrosine levels in the brain. This, in turn, boosts synthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine. Result: Greater mental energy.

The neurotransmitter serotonin has a calming effect. Its presence in the brain boosts concentration, relieves feelings of anxiety and at night or if you're sleep-deprived-makes you feel drowsy. To make serotonin, your brain needs a supply of the amino acid tryptophan. Like tyrosine, tryptophan is found in proteins. But eating more protein won't increase levels of tryptophan inside your brain. In fact, a high-protein diet depletes the brain's tryptophan supply.

​ Reason:
​ Tryptophan must "compete" with tyrosine and other, more plentiful amino acids to enter the brain. It tends to be "crowded out" by them when you eat protein. To increase the brain's supply of tryptophan, eat carbohydrates_ without protein. Doing so triggers the release of insulin, which shunts some of the amino acids, it can easily enter the brain.